Dustin Johnson has put together one of the best seasons of his golfing career in 2014. He won the WGC-HSBC Champions last November to make him one of the few golfers to capture at least one win each season he has been on tour.
He withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Monday, but his statement issued on Thursday announcing his intention to take a leave of absence from the tour came as a complete surprise to the golf world,
“I will be taking a leave of absence from professional golf, effective immediately.”
He continued in his statement,
“I will use this time to seek professional help for personal challenges, I have faced.”
Johnson has seven top-10 finishes in 17 starts, with $4.2 million in earnings this season. He is No. 4 in the FedEx Cup race and No. 16 in the world rankings.
He just turned 30 years old in June, already has eight career PGA Tour wins and finished inside the Top 10 in seven of the last 20 major championships.
Add to all of this, he is dating one of the most beautiful women in the world, Paulina Gretzky and it would appear that Dustin Johnson has this life thing all figured out.
Johnson was also a lock for an automatic spot on Tom Watson’s Ryder Cup team in September. He is in fourth place on the points list and was one of the few bright spots for the Americans, with a 3-0 record in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club.
With just this week and next week at the PGA Championship left to earn an automatic berth on the Ryder Cup team, Patrick Reed now becomes the bubble boy occupying the final spot.
Johnson’s departure may allow Watson to use captain’s picks to choose both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, should they fail to win an automatic spot on the team.
All that said, Johnson has been fighting some personal demons that require him to get help and a respite away from his chosen profession.
Week in and week out, golf fans see the bright lights and big checks on the PGA Tour and think it is all roses and sunshine, but everyone has personal issues that must be dealt with on a daily basis.
Tiger Woods’ personal issues may have wrecked his career goal of catching Jack Nicklaus major championship victory total. Other players have had issues with alcohol, depression or family tragedies that have spilled over into the golf course.
Life has a way of happening no matter who you are.
Dustin Johnson is one of the purest athletes and most dominant players on the PGA Tour.
Everyone wishes him the best and anticipates his return to competitive golf.